Fact of the matter was, the American Communist Party was an active recruiting ground into the 50's for the KGB, which had long penetrated the United States government. The extent of Soviet espionage was not a delusion.
I've read some of the stuff that's been written in recent years on this period and it now looks as if the first part of your statement is wrong but the second correct, Derek. The Soviets, evidently, quit using the American party as a recruitment ground sometime in the late 30s, evidence is sparse here, but certainly by the late 40s. They, however, always, at least through the 30s, 40s, and 50s, recruited agents on their own and encouraged them not to be members of the American party. For all the obvious reasons. |
